Driving arrangements for toy devices and the like



Aug. 18, 1964 R GRIESSL DRIVING ARRANGEMENTS FOR TC JY DEVICES AND THELIKE Filed Feb. 19, 1960 PUDOLF GR/ESSL 6y WSW United States Patent 2Claims. (a. 74-665) The present invention relates to improvements indriving arrangements for toy devices, such as toy cranes, mechanical menand the like, and more particularly to a drive which is capable ofbringing about and fully controlling a given number of functions withthe help of a lesser number of driving motors.

In certain types of toys, the interesting feature resides in theperformance of various functions which may but preferably should not becarried out in a predetermined sequence. For example, the functionsperformed by a toy crane may include advancing the crane, turning thehousing of the crane, lifting or lowering the crane arm, and lifting orlowering the load-supporting cable.

In the presently known toy devices of this general character, thevarious functions may be brought about with the help of motors in one ofthe following ways: According to one method, each function is controlledby a separate motor which brings about the advantage that a selectedfunction may be initiated and directly controlled independently of theother function or functions and also that, therefore, the toy device maysimultaneously perform two or more entirely independent movements. Onthe other hand, such systems necessarily utilize a considerable numberof motors which increases the initial and maintenance cost of a soconstructed toy, particularly if the toy is operated by electric motors.In the above described example, the toy crane would utilize fourseparate motors.

According to another presently known method, two or more functions maybe initiated and controlled by a single electric or other motor. In suchinstances, the motor is operatively coupled with and transmits rotationto suitable levers, gears, speed reducers and other motion transmittingand/ or transforming assemblies which initiate the respective functionsin a given sequence. While such constructions obviously reduce themanufacturing cost because they utilize a lesser number of motors, theuser must be satisfied with a more monotonous performance because hecannot change the sequence of various operations at his own but can onlytrigger a fixed sequence of movements, i.e. depending upon theconnect-ion between the motor and the movable components of a toydevice, the latter will execute two, three or more movements whosetiming and sequence cannot be changed by the player.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a drivingarrangement for toy devices of the type required to perform two or moremovements which is constructed and assembled in such a way that a singlemotor may initiate two functions and may cause such functions to becarried out in any given sequence.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a drivingarrangement of the just outlined characteristics in which a single motormay initiate two independent functions and may cause such functions tobe carried out for any desired length of time.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a drivingarrangement of the above described type which is of very simpleconstruction, which is reliable in operation, which is of compact andspace-saving design, and which may be put to a number of uses not onlyin various toy devices but for many other purposes wherever twofunctions must be performed independently of each other but not at thesame time.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provisionof a driving arrangement which comprises a driving member connected toand rotatable in two opposing directions by a single driving motor,preferably an electric motor of the direct-current, reversible-polaritytype, two driven members, and transmission means adapted to preferablyautomatically couple the one or the other driven member with the drivingmember in such a way that the first driven member remains idle when themotor rotates clockwise to drive the second driven member, and that thesecond driven member remains idle when the motor rotates inanticlockwise direction to rotate the first driven member.

For example, the transmission means for establishing a drivingconnection between the driving gear, which is normally fixed directly tothe motor shaft, and the two driven shafts may comprise a simple orcomposite intermediate gear which is in constant mesh, or at leastconstantly in rotary-motion-receiving connection with the driving gearand which is mounted on a carrier member adapted to swing about an axispreferably coinciding with the axis of the driving gear. Theintermediate gear is thus movable into mesh with the one or the other oftwo driven gears each of which is mounted on and preferably fixed forrotation with the respective driven shaft. The swingable member mayreciprocate between the two stops which are disposed at the opposingsides of the carrier and which abut against the latter when theintermediate gear is in mesh with the one or the other driven gear.

When the improved driving arrangement is utilized in a toy device, e.g.a toy crane or the like, each driven shaft is preferably connected witha self-locking assembly which prevents unintentional rotation thereof inresponse to the gravitational force of parts operatively connectedtherewith. For example, if a driven shaft is connected'with and isutilized for lifting the arm of a toy crane, it may be coupled with aworm and a worm gear which prevent unintentional descent of the arm whenthe driven shaft is disconnected from the motor at a time when the cranearm is in partially or fully lifted position.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following detailed description of twospecific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a toy crane embodying thedriving arrangement of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a similar front elevational view of a modified drivingarrangement which comprises a swingable member adapted to alternatelymove an intermediate gear into mesh with the one or the other drivengear.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a driving motor 1 of thereversible type whose shaft 2 is coaxial and rigidly connected with adriving gear 3. The latter meshes with a first intermediate gear 9 whichis rotatably mounted on a swingable member or carrier 10. This carrieris swingable about the axis of driving shaft 2 into and between twoextreme positions in which it abouts against one of two spaced stops orarresting pins 9a, 9b. The stops 9a, 91) may be mounted directly on thehousing of driving motor 1 and are disposed at the opposing sides of thecarrier 10. The pivot axle 9c of the intermediate gear 9 carries asecond intermediate gear 11 which meshes with the driven gear 6a or 6bdepending upon whether the carrier 10 abuts against the stop or 9b,respectively. The driven gears 6a, 6b are coaxial and rigidly connectedwith the driven shafts 4a, 41), respectively, and are disw posed at theopposing sides of gear 11. The shaft 4a is coaxial and rigidly connectedwith a worm 12a which meshes with a worm wheel 13a connected with thedrum 14a of a cable 15a, the latter being utilized to lift or lower thearm A of a toy crane which is shown in FIG. 1. The other driven shaft 4bis utilized for lifting or lowering a load L which is connected to asecond cable 15b, the latter being anchored in a second cable drum 14bwhich is rotatable by a worm wheel 13b meshing with the worm 12b on thedriven shaft 4b. The worm assemblies 12a, 13a and 12b, 13b constitutetwo self-locking devices which prevent the arm A and load L fromunwinding the cables 15a, 15b when the respective driven gears 6a, 6bare disconnected from the intermediate gear 11. For example, FIG. 2shows that the carrier 10 abuts against the left-hand stop 9a wherebythe gear 11 meshes with the driven gear 6:: and rotates the same in suchdirec tion as to wind the cable a onto the drum 14a and to thereby liftthe crane arm A by pivoting it in clockwise direction about the pivotaxle 16 (see FIG. 1). The driven gear 6b is disconnected from the gear11 whereby the load L would normally cause the drum 14b to pay out thecable 15b were it not for the self-locking means 12b, 13b which preventssuch rotation of the drum 14b.

By rotating the driving shaft 2 in clockwise or anticlockwise direction,and by moving the swingable carrier 10 into abutment with the stop 9a or9b, each of driven shafts 4a, 4b may also be rotated in clockwise oranticlockwise direction. However, it is preferred to bring aboutswinging movements of the carrier 10 in a fully automatic way, e.g.merely by reversing the polarity of the motor 1; in such instances,releasable couplings may be provided between the worm wheels 13a, 13band drums 14a, 14b respectively, which enable an operator to permit adescent by gravity of the crane arm A and load L when the respectivedriven shaft is disconnected from the gear 11. The friction between thedriving shaft 2 and swingable carrier 10 is normally sufiicient to movethe latter between and into abutment with the stops 9a, 9b when thedirection of the motor 1 is reversed.

Referring now in greater detail to FIG. 1, the toy crane comprises ahousing 17 for the motor 1 and other component parts of the drivingarrangement shown in FIG. 2. The cable 15b is led over a pulley 18 atthe upper end of crane arm A; the other cable 15a has its free endconnected to a bracket 19 extending from the median portion of the cranearm. A second motor may be provided in the housing 17 for rolling thetoy crane on its wheels 20 and for performing a further function, forexample, for turn ing the base 21 about a vertical axis.

It will be seen that the driving arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2 alsocomprises a driving member 3 which is rotatable in clockwise andanticlockwise directions; driven members 4a, 4b; and a transmission 6a,6b and 9-11 which is adapted to automatically connect the driving memberwith the one or the other driven member in such a way that one drivenmember is rotated when the engagement between the other driven memberand the driving member is discontinued, and vice versa.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A driving arrangement for alternately rotating two driven shaftscomprising, in combination, a reversible electric motor having a drivingshaft; a driving gear coaxially mounted on and rotatable by said shaftin clockwise and anticlockwise directions; a carrier swingably mountedon said driving shaft; intermediate gear means rotatably mounted on saidcarrier and meshing with said driving gear; a first and a second drivenshaft disposed at the opposing sides of said carrier and each parallelwith said driving shaft; a first and second driven gear coaxial with anddrivingly connected to said first and second driven shaft, respectively,said carrier swingable into a first position in which said intermediategear means meshes with said first driven gear, and into a secondposition in which said intermediate gear means meshes with said seconddriven gear whereby said intermediate gear means is adapted to rotatethe first driven shaft when the carrier is in said first position and torotate the second driven shaft when the carrier is in said secondposition; first selflocking means comprising a first worm coaxiallyconnected with the first driven shaft and a first worm Wheel meshingwith said first worm for holding the first driven shaft against rotationwhen said intermediate gear means is out of mesh with said first drivengear; and second selflocking means comprising a second worm coaxiallyconnected with the second driven shaft and a second worm wheel meshingwith said second worm for holding the second driven shaft againstrotation when said intermediate gear means is out of mesh with thesecond driven gear.

2. In a toy, a driving arrangement for alternately rotating two drivenshafts, said arrangement comprising, in combination, a reversibleelectric motor having a driving shaft; a driving gear coaxially mountedon and rotatable by said shaft in clockwise and anticlockwisedirections; a swingable carrier on said driving shaft; intermediate gearmeans rotatably mounted on said carrier and meshing with said drivinggear; a first and a second driven shaft disposed at the opposing sidesof said carrier and each parallel with said driving shaft; a first and asecond driven gear coaxial with and drivingly connected with said firstand second driven shaft, respectively; first and second stop means forsaid carrier, said carrier swingable into a first position into abutmentwith said first stop means in which said intermediate gear means mesheswith said first driven gear, and into a second position into abutmentwith said second stop means in which said intermediate gear means mesheswith said second driven gear whereby said intermediate gear means isadapted to rotate the first driven shaft when the carrier is in saidfirst position and to rotate the second driven shaft when the carrier isin said second position; first self-locking means comprising a firstworm coaxially connected with the first driven shaft and a first wormwheel meshing with said first worm for holding the first driven shaftagainst rotation when said intermediate gear means is out of mesh withsaid first driven gear; and second self-locking means comprising asecond worm coaxially connected with the second driven shaft and asecond worm wheel meshing with said second worm for holding the seconddriven shaft against rotation when said intermediate gear means is outof mesh with the second driven gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS138,655 Isbell May 6, 1873 378,088 Foote Feb. 21, 1888 557,571 Fish etal Apr. 7, 1896 983,602 Caine Feb. 7, 1911 991,521 Maize May 9, 19111,504,237 Halverson Aug. 12, 1924 1,571,610 Tingley Feb. 2, 19261,801,139 Chalek Apr. 14, 1931 2,020,802 Saver Nov. 12, 1935 2,423,243Lovely July 1, 1947 2,624,214 Arensberg Jan. 6, 1953 2,896,873 MageochJuly 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 894,343 Germany Oct. 26, 1953

1. A DRIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR ALTERNATELY ROTATING TWO DRIVEN SHAFTSCOMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING A DRIVINGSHAFT; A DRIVING GEAR COAXIALLY MOUNTED ON AND ROTATABLE BY SAID SHAFTIN CLOCKWISE AND ANTICLOCKWISE DIRECTIONS; A CARRIER SWINGABLY MOUNTEDON SAID DRIVING SHAFT; INTERMEDIATE GEAR MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAIDCARRIER AND MESHING WITH SAID DRIVING GEAR; A FIRST AND A SECOND DRIVENSHAFT DISPOSED AT THE OPPOSING SIDES OF SAID CARRIER AND EACH PARALLELWITH SAID DRIVING SHAFT; A FIRST AND SECOND DRIVEN GEAR COAXIAL WITH ANDDRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND DRIVEN SHAFT, RESPECTIVELY,SAID CARRIER SWINGABLE INTO A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID INTERMEDIATEGEAR MEANS MESHES WITH SAID FIRST DRIVEN GEAR, AND INTO A SECONDPOSITION IN WHICH SAID INTERMEDIATE GEAR MEANS MESHES WITH SAID SECONDDRIVEN GEAR WHEREBY SAID INTERMEDIATE GEAR MEANS IS ADAPTED TO ROTATETHE FIRST DRIVEN SHAFT WHEN THE CARRIER IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION AND TOROTATE THE SECOND DRIVEN SHAFT WHEN THE CARRIER IS IN SAID SECONDPOSITION; FIRST SELFLOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST WORM COAXIALLYCONNECTED WITH THE FIRST DRIVEN SHAFT AND A FIRST WORM WHEEL MESHINGWITH SAID FIRST WORM FOR HOLDING THE FIRST DRIVEN SHAFT AGAINST ROTATIONWHEN SAID INTERMEDIATE GEAR MEANS IS OUT OF MESH WITH SAID FIRST DRIVENGEAR; AND SECOND SELFLOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A SECOND WORM COAXIALLYCONNECTED WITH THE SECOND DRIVEN SHAFT AND A SECOND WORM WHEEL MESHINGWITH SAID SECOND WORM FOR HOLDING THE SECOND DRIVEN SHAFT AGAINSTROTATION WHEN SAID INTERMEDIATE GEAR MEANS IS OUT OF MESH WITH THESECOND DRIVEN GEAR.